Staying is a Necessity

“Tacos or pasta, tacos or pasta, tacos or pa…”I muttered under my breath. I stood in front of two doors leading to different lunch spots. I turned towards the taco place but as I  grabbed the door handle the hottest man I ever saw walked straight into the pasta place. I pivoted so fast and hurried into the pasta place behind the man.

He got right in line while I went to set down my bag at a nearby table. It looked like the last table available. I got back in line and listened carefully to his order. 

“Carbonara, blah blah, coffee, blah, for here.” Bingo. He was here to stay but, coincidentally, there were no tables left. What a pity… He sat down at my table. My bag was pretty hidden, but don’t worry, it was all part of my master plan. My bag was strategically out of sight so that someone might accidentally sit there, but it was in sight enough that I could go and sit there and have an excuse to. I picked up my pasta and scurried over to the table.

“Hi, my bag was here, I'm so sorry.” I smiled down on the gorgeous man's face. 

“Oh my god, I am so sorry, I should have seen it.” He started hastily packing his things.

“No, no, no. Please stay. I am just going to be getting some work done on my laptop. You won’t even notice me.” I went to place my things down and grab my laptop out of my bag. Hot Man looked awkward. 

“Um, that's so nice of you, but I was actually planning on meeting my girlfriend here in a couple minutes.” He gestured to the second bowl of pasta by the edge of the table.

“It’s ok though, we can sit outside.” I glanced over at the lone picnic table in the blazing sun and far away from any shade. I audibly sighed. I grabbed my stuff and moved to the just-now vacant table by the window. 

“No! Please stay. Look, that table’s opening up now,” I called as I meandered away.

I ended up getting a lot of work done in the restaurant. I didn’t leave with the new love of my life, but I did leave with a lot fewer papers to grade. My eighth grade English class would be thrilled when I finally handed back their Shakespeare writing assignments. I started packing my belongings. Hot man and Girlfriend were still there. His girlfriend was the hottest woman I had ever seen, so I decided to make peace with the fact that we would never be together.

As I flipped my laptop closed, Hot Man’s identical twin walked through the door. My heart soared. This man was even hotter. Something I didn’t think possible. All of a sudden, staying was a necessity. I opened my laptop and unpacked everything, not caring that everyone around me saw me completely pack up and then immediately unpack. By the time I was re-situated. Hot Man pt.2 had ordered his pasta and was walking over to Hot Man pt. 1 and Girlfriend. He put his stuff down and walked over to the napkin station directly next to my table. He smiled at me, and my stomach went on a whole roller coaster ride. He then proceeded to compliment my laptop stickers. Of course at that moment I forgot every single sticker I had ever put on my laptop. I smiled back and thanked him. The moment he walked back to his table, I looked at the back of my laptop to inspect the stickers. A Jimmy June band sticker, an animated dinosaur, and random ones from stores and places I had visited. 

I was relieved. I seemed like a normal-ish 27 year old.

Half an hour passed, and the Hot Twins and Girlfriend started to pack up and leave. Now was my chance. I stood up to throw my cup of coffee away and oh-so-accidentally tripped over Hot Man pt 2’s shoe. I fell gracefully to the floor. He looked at me in shock.

“I’m so sorry!” He said, and reached down and had to help me up. I grabbed his hand willingly, and noticed a ring on his finger. Damn.

“What a beautiful wedding band, it's gorgeous.” I said, trying to confirm that he was actually unavailable.

“Thank you! I just got married last month. Still getting used to it.” 

I, again, audibly sighed and walked away, calling out, “congratulations!”

I was defeated. I packed up everything and left, eyeing the taco place, silently wishing I had gone there for lunch. After a minute I realized I was still standing in front of the taco place, just staring. My watch read 4:55. Close enough to dinner in my opinion. I walked in, and got in a very long line. In front of me two pregnant women were talking about the prenatal class they had just finished. The line slowly moved up as I eavesdropped on the two women. I was snapped out of my daydream of being a mother with my gorgeous husband when the cashier working the counter called me up, 

“Hi, what can I get for you?” I ordered three chicken tacos with an assortment of toppings, paid, and moved over to the pick-up line.

After standing in line for ten more minutes and being pulled back into my maternal daydream by listening to the two pregnant women, they called my number. I picked up my food and walked over to the soda machine. I got a big glass of water and some forks and napkins. I stood awkwardly in the middle of the restaurant, debating whether I should stay or just bring the food back to my apartment. I rearranged all of my bags until I could comfortably carry the food back to my apartment and headed for the door. I decided I just wanted to go home and watch TV while stuffing my face with overpriced tacos. As I walked out the door, the hottest man I had ever seen walked straight into the taco restaurant. I pivoted so quickly and walked back in. I could grade a few more papers, because all of a sudden staying was a necessity.